Google is steadily moving advertisers toward more automated, AI-driven campaigns. One of the latest tools in this push is AI Max, which uses broad signals from your website, user intent, and Google’s machine learning to find potential customers. The idea is that phrase and exact match may be too limiting, so you run the risk of missing opportunities.
We recently tested AI Max for one of our long-time clients — an audio/video system installer specializing in home theaters, whole-house sound systems, and outdoor entertainment setups.
We’ve been managing this account for nearly a decade, so we have a strong foundation of negative keywords. Lead flow fluctuates between 10 and 30 leads per month, depending on the seasonality. So we were cautiously optimistic that this made a good test case for AI Max, and enabled the AI Max setting within the existing campaign.
The Data
- Total leads: 34
- Leads from AI Max: 8
- Cost per acquisition (CPA):
- Non-AI Max searches: $112
- AI Max searches: $122
While AI Max leads came in slightly more expensive, the cost difference was not dramatic, and it provided valuable insights into audience reach.
What AI Max Got Right (and Wrong)
Like any AI tool, the results weren’t perfect out of the box.
- Competitor targeting: AI Max initially served heavily for competitor brand names. We quickly added these to our negatives list.
- Keyword stretch: While we target “TV installer” AI max stretched that to serve our ads for “TV repair” and “broken TV.” While not the client’s focus, you could argue that someone looking to repair a TV today could be upgrading tomorrow.
- Exploring unused services: AI Max picked up the “security camera” page on the client’s website and began serving ads for it. This isn’t a service we advertise, but the AI considered it fair game since it exists on the site.
The Bottom Line
AI Max may uncover valuable new search patterns and potential customers. For our client, it provided additional leads at a reasonable CPA and valuable insights we can use to refine our campaigns.
If you’re considering AI Max, treat it as a test and learn opportunity, and make sure you have the right negative keyword strategy in place to guide it.
AI Max FAQs
How To Enable AI Max?
This isn’t a new campaign type. AI Max is a setting on search campaigns. So head over to your campaign’s settings:
Scroll down to the section for AI Max for Search Campaigns. Toggle it on.
Add a note marking the date you made this change. This will make your life easier when you want to compare your results.
Then watch your search term report like a hawk. Filter by match type.
When Should You Use AI Max?
AI Max is intended to expand conversion volume. Test with caution. If you have solid historical conversions and can commit to keeping a close eye on search queries, you can steer AI Max into generating incremental leads.
What’s the Difference Between AI Max and Performance Max?
AI Max is strictly a setting for search campaigns, whereas Performance Max is its own campaign type that serves ads across channels (Search, Shopping, Display, Discover, YouTube, Gmail).
September 12, 2025